Telephone-transmitter.



PATENTED NOV. 19. 1907.

RIBS. TELEPHON B TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1904.

I '2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IA'VE/VTOH 257m RES.

WITNEQSES:

' E. E. RIBS. TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN 11, 1004.

2 SHEETSSHEBT PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

ELIAS E. RIBS-OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TE LE PHDNlil-TE ANSFHITTEB.

Original application filed June 23. 1900 Serial No. ZLSZZ- Divided and this Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS E. time, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone- Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

' Iy present invention relates to devices suitablyconstructed for the utilization of the principle of capillary attraction employed to control the resistance of an electric circuit according to the method set forth in my application filed June 23rd, 1900, Serial No. 21,322, of which application my present application is a division.

As set out in the specification of my original application, it is well known that when two surfaces of glass or other material having an affinity l or a given liquid oriluid in which both are partially immersed, are brought closely together without actually touching each other, the fluid will rise between them of its own accord to a heightconsiderabl y above that of its normal level or of its general surrounding level, and in doing so will spread over a considerable area of thosurface be. tween which it rises. On the other hand, when the surfaces are separated, the column of liquid between them, being no longer ca-- pable of self-support, will descend until it has reached the general level when the plates or surfaces have been sullicicntl y separated, and in doing so, greatly reducing the surface area over which it spreads.- This is. espccially the case when the lower edges of the surfaces are nearly in contact and the motion of one or both plates is such as to cause their upper edges to approach and diverge re spectively. VVhcn-the surfaces instead of being vertical orapproximately so, are both horizontal and close to ether and drop or small quantity of the fluid is placed at the center of the lower surface, which may be in the form of a plate or disk, it will assume the shape of a flattened bead or iihn spreading over both surfaces through its chemical affinity or capillary action, and if the upper surface of the disk be slightly lifted the head will tend to rise with it and in doing so become elongated, and at the same time contracted in width to a considerable extent so that the portions of the surfaces bridged by the fluid, as well as the cross section of the bead itself, is relatively sme l. This action, from the casing tween them' in which the ZPatented Nov. 19, 1907.

application filed January 11.1904- Serial'No.1 B8.633-

as already stated, takes place without pressure -.pon the fluid. I

ivly present invention consists of improved forms of apparatus wherein the abovenamed principle is utilized to vary the electrical rcsistan' of a circuit in accordance with the rib ations of. a suitable diaphragm operated in on by the sound waves, and the invention .onsists inthe novel constructions of devices and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and. more particularly specilied in the claims.

Figure 1 shows in vertical section a form of instrument in which the two plates which include the capillary fluid between them, are arran ed in vertical position. Fig. 2 shows a inodi ication in which the sound waves communicate motion to the liquid instead of to the electrode. Figs. 3 and 4 show forms wherein the electrodes or plates are arranged horizontally.

Referring to Fig. 1, 2 is a diaphragm designed to receive the sound waves directed upon it by the mouth-piece 3 of the instrument. The diaphragm and mouth-piece may be mounted together after the manner usual with telephone transmitters and as cl irlv shown. 4-, is the support or casing of the instrument and is made to form a chamber containing the liquid and the electrodes. 5, is one electrode hung by a suitable pivotal or pci'u'lulous suspension and mochanically connected with the diaphragm by a pin or other connection so as to partake of the motion of the diaphragm when subjected to' the influence of sound waves. in Fig. 1, it is shown as provided with a pendulous suspension consisting of a hook at one end of the plate or one electrode and a cavity in the front of the case into which the hook enters. The electrode may be included in the electric circuit b the electric connection formed between t' 1e hook andcasing when the latter is of metal, or through the diaphragm or in any other desired way. Obviously also the electrode might bemounted and connected-with the diaphragm in other ways so as to partake of the motions thereof. 6, isanother plate or rod electrode suspended or supported in close proximity to 5, so as to form a ver narrow space beiquid 20 in the easing rises by capillary attraction. Electrode is may be supported in the manner indicated 4, by an insulated support would be very much closer together, and in any-case sufliciently close to cause the liquid to s read out between thev electrodes by capil ary attraction, when one electrode is caused to approach the other by the action of sound waves operating directly or indirectly upon one or bothof the electrodes.

In thernodification in Fig. 4, the eleptrode 5"is attached to the diaphragm 2, and the upper electrode is shownas conformed to the dished or concave outline of the lower electrode. In practice the surface of the upper electrode preferably departs in outlineirom that of the lower in such manner that the space between them shall radually decrease towards the periphery, thereby. producing a large increase in the wetted surface or fluid-covered area for a comparatively smaller movement of the electrodes towards one another, and therebycausing a great amplitude of variation in the resistance in the circuit when the excursions of the diaphragm 2 are large.

It is obvious that my invention may be carried out in very many forms of apparatus, and ,that it is not limited to the special form Sh I By graduating the space between the electrodes as explained so that it diminishes from one side or edge of the electrodes toward the other, I introduce an automatic compensation for the dampening action or greater mechanical resistance to vibraterecurring with the larger excursions or vibrations of the diaphragm when the same is operated by louder sounds, and hence am enabled to transmit sounds with great fidelity. In ordinary telephones the dampening oi the diaphragm arising from its new naturally in creasing resistance to vibration as the arm )litude of its movement increases prevents it from responding faithfully to the sound vibrations in respect to amplitude, but with the-automatic compensation referred to the diaphragm, as it approaches he end of its excursion, works upon-a capillary lilm. or interval that is narrower or thinner and will hence produce a greater change of resistance for a given movementtof the diaphragm, thereby producing changes of resistance that are a more l'aithful' reflex of the actuating sound wave. In other words, the changes of resistances produced by the diaphragm as it nears. the end of its excursion where it is dampened, are made proportionately greater for a given movement, and by proper graduation oi the capillary space, the variation of resistance while disproportionate to the movementqoi the diaphragm may be made exactly proportionate to the actuating sound wave.

\Vith these various forms of instrumentl have olltained' excellent results by employing a number of dill'crcnt fluids, including or other conductor.

niercu I have also used a non-conducting an non-freezing llquid such as glycerin containing a quantit of powdered carbon of solid material must not be sufficient to interfere with the fluidity or capillary tendency of the liquid. In any case the surface of the electrodes 'should be such, according to the liquid need, that there will be an aflinit (capillary) between the electrode and liqui In the foregoing description the term wetted is used toexpress the idea that the contact surface of the electrode 'is in contact with the liquid which lowers the resistance by embracing a greater surface area of the electrode. u

that I claim as my invention is:

1. .In a telephone transmitter, two plate electrodes and a liquid included in an electric circuit between them, such elements being sufficiently near together to-cause variations inthe extent of the wetted surface by ca illary action when an electrode is operate in accordance with the sound waves to be transmitted.

2. In a telephone transmitter, two lates or electrodes and a film of liquid inclu' ed in a circuit between them and adapted to vary the resistance of the circuit through capillary action when a plate is vibrated, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a telephone transmitter, two late electrodes separated from one anothe r b a narrow space which gradually diminis es towards the edge and an interposed liquid, said electrodes being sufliciently close together to cause variations of resistance in an electric circuit by variations of wettedv sur face due to capillary action.

4. In a telephone transmitter, electrodes normally separated from one another, and a connecting film or bod of liquid adapted to vary the resistance 0 the circuit by capillary action when the instrument is subjected to the influence of sound waves.

5. A telephone transmitter having electrodes separated by a ,ca illary space graduated or varying in its (imensions so as to cause an amplification of ell'ect and a liquid contained in said space, as and for the purpose described.

6. A telephone transmitter comprising a horizontally disposed baseiece forming one electrode and having a slig 1t central cavity,

,a conducting liquid contained therein, andan opposite vibratory electrode in the circuit of the liquid adapted to displace the li uid and thereby vary the superficial area of e ectrode surfaces wetted by the liquid.

' '7. In a tcle hone transmitter, nation of'an c cotrodc having a slight cavity adapted to contain a liquid, and an op osing electrode carried by a vibratory dia'p ragm.

and adapted to confine the liquid in a con the combin this case the amount deem ss toward the'periphery uavwcsnvez spiwe Whose firickness by cnmiuciiing iiquiil, 1 ing the 0f Wait (1 suYiIf-we on swirl slam trcdas t0 vary fine rem in respcnsza 570 95118 action of S011 ihe purpose described.

in. a, 'elephone tra uu ion of an eisotroda h: vzng & adape- Signed New Mark in ccunzy 055 New e York and Stab e o'I flew Y 01 2: this 1st of uficember A. N03;

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